


Unwind

by Vizkopa



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, tipsy confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 19:31:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13014630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vizkopa/pseuds/Vizkopa
Summary: “You were quite popular at the market today.”“What do you mean?”“The gifts, the swooning young women. I wonder at how you are still unmarried, Kaze.”





	Unwind

In times of war, it was always important to divide the duties and labour equally amongst members of the army. Regardless of status, regardless of ranking, you had to pull your weight if you all had any hope of making it through the hard days and cold nights on the road. As it happened, it was your turn to make the journey to restock the company’s food supplies, and you had jumped at the chance to explore and stretch your legs a little. Being confined to the camp, poring over endless maps and castle plans—it was beginning to drive you stir crazy. 

Kaze had insisted on accompanying you to the village despite your attempts to reassure him you would be alright on your own. It was sweet that he was so reluctant to leave your side, but you were looking forward to finally having some space to breathe. Kaze was a wonderful retainer and an even better ninja, but he always seemed to take his duties so seriously. Perhaps this little outing would give him an opportunity to breathe freely too.

“It’s such a nice day today, don’t you agree?” You cast a look over your shoulder towards the ninja, who was bringing up the rear of your small party. The pack horse you were leading by the reigns whinnied in agreement, but the ninja was not so quick to concur.

“…Yes, quite.” Despite the politeness in his reply, you sensed an edge to his words. His shoulders were stiff and his keen eyes never seemed to stop moving, scanning the surrounding landscape for potential threats.

You sighed. “Would you relax a little? I highly doubt anyone will try to attack us out in the open like this. Especially on a day such as this.” You gestured to the cloudless expanse of sky above you.

“You never know, my Lady.”

It’s true—you never did. But it wasn’t like you hadn’t taken precautions before departing. You had forgone your usual heavy plate armour for a simple wool dress akin to what you often saw the common folk in the village wearing. Similarly, Kaze had dressed down for the trip, though not to the extent you had. He still held his shuriken concealed within the folds of his coat and his hand never strayed far from the simple dagger he kept at his hip. You were willing to bet he had one concealed in his boot too. Presented as you were, no one would so much as suspect you were secretly the wayward princess of Nohr and her retainer.

The markets were bustling when you entered town, but the crowd parted easily to make way for the packhorse, who snorted and shifted uneasily at the throng of people milling around him. You stroked his neck soothingly as you went about scanning the stalls for the items you needed.

You felt Kaze hovering behind you while you perused the stalls, but tried not to let his overbearing presence get to you. He was only doing his job, after all. Just perhaps a little too well.

As you were inspecting a head of cabbage, you felt the weight of a pair of eyes on you. A young woman at the next stall was looking in your direction, a slight look of awe on her face. She looked away hastily when you met her gaze, a light blush dusting her cheeks. At first, you thought she may have recognized you—you couldn’t fathom how; you had never seen the woman in your life—but quickly came to realise as the young woman chanced another glance, that it wasn’t you who had drawn her attention, but Kaze.

_Well, someone’s popular,_ you thought to yourself with a smile. An idea came to you.

“Kaze, I can’t focus with you hovering behind me like that. At least make yourself useful and go buy some carrots from the stall over there.” You gestured to the stall where the young woman was still eyeing Kaze when she thought you weren’t looking.

“I’d rather not leave your side, my Lady.”

“I assure you, one stall away is hardly leaving my side.” You pressed a small bag of gold into his hand. “Go. The quicker we get everything we need, the quicker we can return to camp.”

Kaze seemed hesitant, but he couldn’t deny your logic. “Call if you need any assistance.”

“Yes, yes, just go.” 

You breathed a sigh of a relief as he hurried off toward the stall. The young woman saw him approaching and almost dropped the basket she was holding in fright, her face turning beet red. You smiled to yourself. Kaze had always been popular with the woman amongst the army but it never occurred to you just how far that popularity reached. You hadn’t really taken much notice before now, but he _was_ rather handsome, wasn’t he?

“Miss, are you going to buy anything or not?” The merchant’s voice jolted you out of your musings. You suddenly realised just how long you had been standing there. 

“Oh. Yes. My apologies.”

With both of you working to procure the goods, the saddlebags were soon brimming with food and medicines. You met up with Kaze just as you crossed the final item off your list.

“I think that’s everything. Shall we make our leave?”

“The sooner, the better, my Lady. Oh, I almost forgot…” He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out the bag of gold you had given him earlier. He offered it to you.

“What’s this?”

“Change,” he said matter-of-factly.

Your eyes widened as you felt the weight of the bag in your palm. “But… hardly any of it is gone! How did you pay for everything?”

“Many of the merchants were adamant that I didn’t need to pay, and every time I tried to refuse, they only thrusted more items upon me. Now, I’m no salesman, but that does not seem like an efficient way to run a business—why are you laughing?”

You pressed a hand over your mouth to stifle your giggles. “No reason.”

He looked at you, perplexed for a moment. “No matter. We have everything me need, and more. We should head home.”

“Yes, gladly. There’s just one more thing I wish to buy… Wait here.”

When you returned, Kaze asked you what it was that you had purchased, but you only shook your head and told him it was a “morale booster”. You refused to give him any other clues.

It was late afternoon when the two of your arrived back at camp, tired packhorse in tow. You passed the horse off to the stable hands to unload and care for, before turning one last time to Kaze before you parted ways to freshen up for dinner.

“Kaze, would you join me for tea in my chamber later this evening?”

You thought you caught a faint blush in his cheeks, but dismissed it as a trick of the quickly fading light.

“I would be honoured, my Lady.”

You smiled. “Nine o’clock. Don’t be late.”

The hour Kaze was meant to meet you was drawing nearer. The night had grown cold while you waited, and you had to call on Jakob to light a fire in the hearth at which you sat now. You were nervous. You couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. Was it wrong of you to have invited Kaze to your personal chamber? He was your retainer—it wasn’t entirely unusual. But what if he got the wrong impression?

There came a knock at the door. You steeled your nerves.

“Come in.”

Kaze entered and bowed. “My Lady.” His eyes flickered to the bottle of sake set out on the table in front of you. “I thought you said we were having tea.” The amusement in his smile contradicted the suspicion in his voice.

“I thought it might be nice to loosen up a bit. You take your duties so seriously, but tonight, consider yourself off-duty.”

“Is that wise, my Lady?”

“Why not? I am in no imminent danger of being attacked or kidnapped here. So as your liege, I command you to take the night off and enjoy a drink with me. Come, sit by the fire and warm yourself. This war has gone on so long, Autumn is already upon us.”

“Well… how can I refuse an order from my Lady?” There was something behind his smile that you couldn’t quite decipher. Perhaps it was just a trick of the firelight. He took a seat across the table from you. “So, this is what you meant by ‘morale booster’.”

You smiled as you filled the cups, the strong scent already making you lightheaded. Or perhaps it was the heat of the fire, or nerves—you could not be sure.

“You were so tense at the market today, I thought this would give you a chance to… loosen up. To remember that you are my friend first, and my retainer second.”

“That is kind of you to say, my Lady. I am glad indeed to be able to call you my friend,” he said, taking the offered cup. “But what friend would I be if I ever let something happen to you under my watch?”

“I am never going to convince you otherwise, am I?”

“I’m afraid not.”

You sighed, taking a sip from your cup. The alcohol burned pleasantly, warming you from the inside out. Kaze did the same, a light flush entering his cheeks the more he drank. You talked of strategies for a while, of the coming change in the seasons. You were two thirds of the way through the bottle when you decided to change the subject.

“You were quite popular at the market today.”

“What do you mean?”

“The gifts, the swooning young women. I wonder at how you are still unmarried, Kaze.”

He shook his head slowly. “I have no time for silly dalliances. My duties are far more important.” 

“Are you telling me not one of those women in the village today caught your eye?”

He hesitated. “Well… none in the _village_ , my Lady.””

“Do you… perhaps already have eyes for another?” You could feel your heart leap into your throat. 

The flush in his cheeks intensified. “There is… only one woman who has managed to hold my affection. But, it is inappropriate for me to have these feelings for someone of her… status.”

You leaned forward in your seat, hand propped under your chin. You swirled the dregs of your sake around and around in the cup to disguise the fact that your hand was shaking ever so slightly. “Oh? My curiosity is piqued. What woman could possibly capture the heart of the elusive ninja, Kaze?”

“Perhaps it is the sake making me bolder than usual. Under no circumstances should I be allowed to say this, but…” Kaze shifted uncomfortable in his seat, purposefully avoiding your gaze. “Well, that woman would be you, Lady [Name].”

You stared at him blankly for a long moment. Then chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Here I was, inviting you to drink with me so that I might work up the courage to confess. But you’ve gone and beat me to the punch.”

He stared at you, disbelieving, for the longest time. “Are you saying…?”

“Yes, Kaze. You mean far more to me than just a bodyguard, more than even a friend.”

“My Lady, I am your servant, your bodyguard, how could you possibly…?”

“You don’t believe me?”

Before he could answer, you downed the last of your sake in one swallow and, emboldened, leaned across the table to press your lips to his in a searing kiss. He tasted like sake and Autumn and nothing like anything you could come close to imagining. You pulled back after a few seconds.

“Is that proof enough for you?”

His only answer was to pull you back in and capture your lips with his own once more.


End file.
